Mindanao Peace Process

COTABATO CITY --- Local officials settled Friday two bloody clan wars, one in Basilan and the other in Maguindanao, via separate peace covenants reached after tedious dialogues that lasted for months.

The reconciliation of the families of Datunoey Pandita and Salahudin Ulama in Guindulungan town in the second district of Maguindanao was brokered by the leading datu in the municipality, Midpantao Midtimbang.

Midtimbang is a member of the 80-seat parliament of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

MARAWI CITY – Life in a remote village in Lanao del Sur is expected to improve with the completion and expected turnover of a hanging bridge that gives sense of security and economic benefits to the locals. It will be turned over officially to the beneficiaries on March 6.

The Php6,985,403.55 worth hanging bridge project was built in Barangay Sawer, Masiu, Lanao del Sur, an isolated community located within the perimeter of Camp Bushra of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

COTABATO CITY --- More than a hundred more members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front got decommissioned Tuesday based on its peace deal with Malacañang.

The Independent Decommissioning Body and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process jointly facilitated Tuesday’s event in a public gymnasium in nearby Sultan Kudarat town in Maguindanao.

The activity was capped off with the turnover by 106 MILF members of their firearms for subsequent safekeeping by the Turkish-led IDB.

COTABATO CITY – The cleansing program of the Police Regional Office in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR) has earned the support of major stakeholders in the region – the religious leaders.

On Sunday, Police Brigadier General Marni Marcos Jr, PRO-BAR regional director, said he was elated that priests, imams (Muslim preacher) and pastors of no specific sect have helped the “Squad and Values Life Coach System” of the Police Regional Office Bangsamoro Autonomous Region.

SULTAN KUDARAT - Sixteen members of the New People’s Army on Saturday pledged allegiance to the Philippine flag through the efforts of the Army’s 603rd Brigade.

The 16 NPAs first yielded assorted firearms and components of improvised explosive devices to officials of the 37th Infantry Battalion who fetched them before the weekend from their hideouts at forested hinterlands in Palimbang town in Sultan Kudarat.

The local government unit of Palimbang has promised to extend relief and rehabilitation support to the 16 former NPAs.

COTABATO CITY --- Sixteen members of the outlawed Dawlah Islamiya surrendered to the Army’s 6th Infantry Division on Saturday.

The 16 gunmen yielded through the efforts of municipal officials in Maguindanao province and the Army’s 33rd and 40th Infantry Battalions, both component-units of the Army’s 601st Brigade under 6th ID.

The two had a dialogue about the future plans for the development and security measures within the Province of Maguindanao for the year 2020. After the meaningful dialogue, Gov. Mangudadatu received a simple token from JTFC Commander as a sign of appreciation.

MANILA --- While supportive of all government efforts to bring the local communist insurgency to a peaceful end, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is more than willing to use all its assets and resources to crush the movement's remaining supporters and members.